Interview by Si Smith

Otep Shamaya is something of a legend, whether it be for her beliefs, her poetry or her onstage energy. So it was with a breath of trepidation that I approached this interview, although the OTEP I have seen in other interviews is far from a diva - she is a down-to-earth, lovely personality who seems to have successfully managed not to be sucked into that whole "rock star" mentality. So on behalf of Femme Metal I approached her with a gaggle of freshly-prepared questions....

First of all, thanks for this interview, we hope you are well and all at Femme Metal welcome you today.

I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you.

"The press" is already familiar with the up-to-date figure of Otep Shamaya - but what was it like when you first started? Was metal your first choice of genre?

I wanted to create music that sounded like I felt inside. Aggressive music seemed to be the perfect fit.

You sing so confidently and boldly now: did that come naturally, or was it something you had to learn as time progressed?

Being timid never felt natural to me. If you’re going to be onstage, you have to own it. Follow Artaud, challenge the audience, incite them, inspire them, anything but allow them to be passive.

There is a much told story about being singled out by Sharon Osborne and Ozzfest....would you like to fill in the details for us, as I think it has become a legend and Chinese whispers have mutated the story over time. What was the reality of that experience for you?

"Chinese whispers" I’m not sure I am comfortable with the term but I believe I understand your question and intention. To the meat: at the time, we were just another unsigned band on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. It was our 4th show, I think, and we opened for Cold. We slayed. After the show, backstage, someone came to me and said, "Sharon would like to speak with you". I told them I didn’t know any Sharon and that I needed a quiet moment to come down from the show - back then, performing took a terrible emotional toll on me - but they were emphatic, "It’s Sharon Osbourne". I was still confused, "Who?" I replied. "THE Sharon Osbourne, wife of Ozzy!". It hit me. I stood up, a little confused and a tad anxious and went to meet her. She grabbed me, gave me a huge hug and said, "Otep you’re going to be on Ozzfest this year". It was like winning an award. "But we don’t have a label or an album", I said. She smiled, "I don’t care. Make it happen".  Luckily, we had several showcases that week with a few record label suits and the rest is history. Sharon has always been so supportive and a source of inspiration to me. We’ve lost touch over the years, but I will never forget her strength and passion.

You are well known for anthems such as "Rise, rebel, resist" and "Smash the Control Machine". How important is the idea of "resistance" to your poetry and your music?

Art is resistance. There is no other way.

You have never hidden your beliefs under a bushel, whether it be your food preferences or your sexual preferences. Have you ever regretted being so open about your life in the public eye? What are the highest and lowest points of such a transparent persona?

Again, interesting selection of words. Being Sapphic isn’t a preference. I don’t prefer to be gay. I am gay. It’s not a choice I could make. Religion is a choice. Having freckles, being right-handed, having green eyes, being gay, those are not choices. That clear, I must say that I sometimes regret the scrutiny of the public eye. But it’s part of the business I did “choose” to enter into.

Your on-stage and on-screen identity is a tough, strong one with much raising of the middle finger! Who is the real OTEP when the audience is gone and the cameras are off?

I consider myself a noble savage. I enjoy intellectual nourishment, quiet moments away from the fires inside my mind, creating art, bohemian revelry, sunrises over sunsets. I’m more than just the banshee screaming on the albums, but that is a part of my artistic identity.

Your lyrics and your performance are all full of passion and self-belief, and I am fascinated by where all your passion comes from. What would you say are the significant parts of your past that makes you the person you are today?

I grew up poor in a multicultural neighborhood. It was quite distinct however because just across the street was a much richer class of families. We could see them with their manicured yards, nice cars, new clothes, calm demeanors - while we were constantly in chaos. Some of the kids across the street were friends but some were snobs for no other reason than who they were born to. I knew I was smarter than most of them, had more talents, I could play sports or fight as well (most times better) than the boys, so I never bought into the idea of "knowing my place". The hardest part of that environment was living on my side of the block, with kids just like me, families just like mine, but because we were different religions or different races, we could never get together. We allowed the petty sectarian differences to define us and divide us. I knew it was wrong then, I know it’s wrong now, I see it happening, I see those who take advantage of it, and I am compelled to speak out about it. I still can’t abide a bully. I still want to compete, to fight, to set things right. I hope I always do.